Device for assembling letter sheets and the like



DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING LETTER SHEETS AND THE LIKE Filed May 6, 1947 C. A.MCKUNE sept. zo, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet l I l l JNVENTOA 5, A MD KUNE BY Q T' TUR NE:

C. A. MCKUNE Sept. zo, 1949.

DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING LETTER SHEETS AND THE LIKE Filed May 6, 1947 4Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INVENTOR. C, A. MDKUNE ATT-'URN Sept. 20, 1949. c. A.MCKUNE 2,482,357

DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING LETTER SHEETS AND THE LIKE Filed May e, 1947 4sheets-sheet 3 INVENToR. ./3, Ma KUNE:

A TTURAI Sept. 20, 1949. c'. A. MoKuNr-z 2,482,357

DEVICE FOR AssEMBLTNG LETTER SHEETS AND THE LIKE Filed May ,6, 1947 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Y IN VEN TOR.

AT TURN Patented Sept. 20, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT oFEicE DEVICE FORASSEMBLING LETTER SHEETS AND THE LIKE Clifford A. MeKune, San Francisco,Calif.

Application May 6, 1947, Serial No. 746,260

v 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to an improved machine for assembling formletters and the like and has for the primary object to provide anespecially constructed device for automatically sorting and dispensing aplurality of typed, multigraphed. mimeographed or otherwise printedsheets of material having diiferent wording and to dispense the saidsheets in succession, whereby a complete set of different worded formsare sorted and dispensed in each operation of the machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a series ofseparate compartments for individually retaining each set of forms andto provide means for simultaneously dispensing one form from eachcompartment into a common receiver each time a lever or the like ismanipulated to operate the machine.

A further object of the present invention is to construct the device inthe shape of an open boxlike structure having a series of separate formcontaining compartments and to provide a sliding frame over the top ofthe said structure, which frame carries a series of hingedly securedcross arms having friction grippers positioned thereon in such a mannerrelative to the partitions forming the compartments that the firstpositioned form in each compartment is contacted by the grippers andsimultaneously dispensed into a common receiver at the bottom of thestructure each time longitudinal forward movement is imparted to thesaid frame.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of ahingedly secured guide and sheet holding member in each compartmentwhich members are operated in conjunction with the said gripper arms forcontrolling the individual dispensing of the forms.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a typedsheet dispensing and assembling device of the character described thatis durable, simple in construction, positive in operation, economical tomanufacture, and highly efficient and serviceable in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent y during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificationwherein for the purpose of illustration like numerals are employed, fordesignating like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the device, showing the levers andoperating mechanisms in their normal positions.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. l, with the exceptionof illustrating the various levers and mechanisms in their operatedpositions,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional fragmentary view taken on line 3-3 ofFig. l, looking in direction of the arrows and particularly illustratesthe levers at the front portion of the structure, for the purpose ofclarity, the levers in the rear not being shown,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical end sectional View of one of the frictiongrippers employed in the invention,

Fig. 5 is an end elevational View illustrating a means for preventingthe grippers from having frictional contact against partitions ofcertain compartments when the same are not being used,

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, looking indirection of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the upper portion one of thepartitions dividing the structure into a series of compartments,

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. l, lookingin direction of the arrows,

Fig. 9 is a side elevational View of the device, showing the oppositeside from that shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. l0 is an elevational View of the front end of the device.

Referring in detail to the drawings and to the numerals thereof, thenumeral l2 designates, as a whole, the supporting structure, preferablyin the form of a housing having a bottom i3, opposite side walls I4 andI5 and a front and back wall I6 and I1, respectively. The said sidewalls of the housing preferably extend upwardly at an angle asillustrated at I8 in Figs. l, 2 and 9 and the upper extremities thereofare grooved as shown at I9 and 20 in Fig. 10 providing an upwardlyslanting track for accommodating a sliding frame 2| that is mountedthereon. Suitable elongated metal strips 22 and 23 are secured to theside walls I4 and l5, at the upper portions thereof for reinforcing thesaid sides, and also, to properly guide the said sliding frame 2l. Thehousing is provided with a plurality of spaced partitions 24, whichpartitions transversely eX- tend across the inside of the housing andare secured to the side walls I4 and l5 thereof and vertically slantupwardly through the sliding frame 2| as shown to advantage in Figs. l,2 and 6. Each of the said partitions are provided with a shelf 25 asshown in Fig. 8 for carrying a suitable quantity of typed sheets ofmaterial. Thus .a plurality of upper compartments, A, B, C, D, E and Fare provided and arranged in series for retaining sheets havingdifferent wording.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing it will be obvious that a complete set of typedsheets can be assembled in the different upper compartments, thecompartment A carrying the rst series sheets, B the second series ofsheets, C the third series of sheets, etc. Each of the said partitions24 are bent at an angle below the shelf 25 forming guides 26 whichextend downwardly to the front end portion of the housing, whereby aseries of narrow receiving compartments G, I-LI, J, K and L are providedin the lower front pori-f` tion of the housing and into which the'sheetsare individually dispensed.

The means provided for individually dispensing the said sheets is shownas comprising a plurality of transversely extending arms 21, whichalleges? be free during the upward movement thereof and automatioalyclose as shown in Fig. 2 when the sheets have reached their dispensingpositions, to positively guide the sheets tothe receiving compartments.Each baiile'member 3l) is preferably formed angular having a'flat bottomportion 48 which is hingedly secured at the front end thereof to itsrespective partition shelf 25 as at 49Yin Fig. 8 andis fixed to asuitable smallshaft I as shown to advantage in Fig. 7. plurality ofvsmall openings 5| are provided in the side wall |4 of the housi. ingfor accommodating the said shafts 50 that arms are provided withfriction grippers 28 and are arranged in series and pivotably secured toYthe sliding frame 2| as at 29, shown to advan? tage in Figs. 1, 2 and6. It will be particularly observed that an arm 21 extends through eachcompartment, whereby the grippers on each arm contact-the sheets ofmaterial in each compartment. In addition to the provision of thegripper -arms for dispensing the sheets, each shelf 25, carrying thesheets, is provided with an upwardly extending hingedly secured baillemember 30 for controlling the movement of the sheets.

vThe said arms and hinged baille members :are operated through themedium of a plurality of levers imparting longitudinal movement to thesaid sliding frame 2| and oscillating movement to the said baies 35. Thenumeral 3i designates a lever pivotally secured to the sliding frame 2|as at 32 and also pivotally secured to the upper crank arm 3-3 as at 34,shown to advantage in Fig. l, the said crank arm 33' being keyed to ashaft 35 that extends across the housing and's journaled in the `sidewalls I4 and `I5 as illus,-

trated in Fig. 6. A second lever 36 similar to the lever 3| is pivotallysecured to the sliding frame 2| and a second upper crank arm 31 similarto the crank arm 33 is secured to the said shaft35 as shown to advantagein Fig. 9. The lower crank arm 38 is integralwith the said upper crankarm 33 and is pivotally connected to the down-` `wardly extendingleveri39, as at 40, which lever 39 is pivotally connected to the masterlever 4|, as at 42, the said master lever 4| `being vpivot-` allyconnected at the outer extremity thereof to the side wall i4 of thehousing, as at 43, Vand is Y provided with a suitable handle 44 von theVinner end portion thereof as disclosed to advantage in Fig. 1. Asuitable coil spring 45 is secured to the bottom |3 of the housing andalso to an `angular arm 46 that is fixed to the said shaft 35, wherebythe said master lever 4| isY resiliently retained in its upper normalposition. VIt will thus be Aseen that when the said master lever 4| ismoved from its upper normal position to its lower lposi- 'tion thesliding frame 2| will be caused to move forwardly to the positionsillustrated in Fig. 2, which forward movement will cause the frictiongrippers 28, carried on the pivoted lever arms 21, to automatically pushthe rst sheet upwardly, of each .set of sheets positioned in the variouscom-v partments, whereby the said first sheets'in the variouscompartments are moved to their' posi'- tions to be dispensed in thelower receiving compartments.

Y The said sheets are designated by the numeral 41 'and illustrated indot and dash lines. The hinged baffle members 311, one of whichiskpositioned on keach shelf 25 Vof the various partitions,` are open asshown in Figjl to permit the sheets to 4.9 members are in their openpositions and free from secured to the housing wall |4 as at 53 and thelower ends pivotally secured to a common bar 54 as at 55, the Saidlevers 52 being positioned adjacent the outer surface of the housingwall |4 and in proximity Vthe said shafts 50 as shownV to advantage inFig. 1. The front end lever 56 is fixed to the first lever 52 yand ispivotally .secured to the verticallever 51 as et 58. The vertical Alever51 vis pivotally vsecured to .a second vertical `lever 5941s at 60,which second shaft is bent outwardlyforminga shoulder 6| that is adaptedto be contacted by the master lever 4| Ywhen the said master lever ispulledupwardly.V The lower portion of the said lever 55 is ilaredoutwardly forming a shoulder 62 that is adapted to be contacted by thepin 63 pro- Avided in the said master lever. Thenumeral 64 Yhorizontally extending' pins fixed into the Said plate and thenumerals61 and 68 designate suitable slots for4 receiving the said pins wherebyVthe lower verticallever 59 is properly guided.

In Fig. 1 there is disclosed to advantage the normalpositions of thelevers, frictional-sheetjgrip persv and the hinged baillemembers,y whichVbaille thersheets inthe variouscompartments due to levers 52 retainingthe baille shafts 50 in their upperpositions. j When Ithe master lever4|, is moved downwardly to .move the first sheet in each compartmentupwardly as hereinbefore explained. the pin 63 will Vabutthe shoulder 62on V'lower vertical lever 59, vat time when the said first sheets are inapositi'on to be dispensed, and the downward movement of the saidpin 3against the shoulder ,62 of the lower vertical lever '59 willlpull thebar 54 and levers 52 to their downward vpositions .as shown yin Fig. 2which will cause the said baille shafts 50 Vto move to their lowerpositions and close the .said baffle members as illustrated in Fig. 2.and shown vin dottedlines in Fig. 8, whereby the .sheets to bedispensed are prevented from-going back in their original compartmentsPand are positively guided to the receiving compartments inthe lowerfront'portion ofthe 'housing and to the opening 59 .completely Sortedand assembled. The assembled sets can thus be quickly obtained bypressing the master 'lever down vwithone hand and withdrawing the'setswith the other.

VThe numeral 10 designates a guide for the mas- Y ter lever and thenumeral '1| a stop pin Yfor the levers 52. The top of the partitions 1|1 are preferablybentlover as indicated at 12. vA clip13 maybe soft roughrubber or leatherand are mounted in Y Suitable retainersv 14 whichretainers "aregwelded orY otherwisesubstantiallyisecured tothe'arm's'21"y g The said arms are formed with oppositely disposedparallel lever like end portions 15, whereby an os cillating movement isobtained. The front portion of the partitions at the housing opening 69are cut out as shown in dotted lines at 16 in Fig. 10 to provide a handhold for receiving the dispensed sheets.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the shape, size, material and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

A device of the character described for assembling letter sheets and thelike comprising a top open ended housing, a series of upwardly extendingpartitions spaced in parallelism across the upper portion of the housingand rigidly secured to the side walls thereof, a plurality of shelves,one of which is xed to each of the said partitions and capable ofsupporting a plurality of letter sheets upwardly between each of thepartitions, an upwardly extending hinged member on each shelf forretaining the letter sheets thereon, an open frame slidably supported onthe top of the housing, a lever control mechanism for operating theframe, means on the frame capable of raising and individually dispensingthe sheets from the shelves when forward movement is imparted to theframe, said means on the frame for dispensing the sheets from theshelves, including a series of cross arms hingedly secured to the frameand provided with friction members capable of contacting the sheets eachof the said hinged members on the shelves being adapted to extend at anangle against the sheets during the dispensing thereof to guide thesheets off of the shelves, and means for separately guiding thedispensed sheets to the lower front portion of the housing.

CLIFFORD A. MCKUNE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,167,214 Petersen Jan. 4, 19161,443,698 Avery Jan. 30, 1923 2,278,915 Critcheld Apr. 7, 1942 2,308,804Dager Jan. 19, 1943 2,314,243 Potter Mar. 16, 1943 2,399,584 Thomas Apr.30, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 62,865 Switzerland Jan. 21,1913

